“This has been a bit of a breakthrough tea for me. I first tried it as a sample and was put off by the bitterness. Then I tried it again as part of a tasting group and worked out a way to enjoy...”
Read full tasting note

“It has been a very long time since I’ve had this tea! I decided to use up the entire sample packet today. I received this in a nice swap several year(s)? ago.
I noticed right away a nice...”
Read full tasting note

From Norbu Tea

These limited production(only 20 kg total!) 250-gram bings are composed entirely of Spring, 2009 sun dried Mao Cha that I personally selected in Xishuangbanna in the spring of 2009! All of the source material was hand picked and hand processed on Lao Mansa tea mountain in the western part of Mengla county (right near the border with Laos), and I had this tea pressed in a small factory in Jinghong using traditional stone presses. Lao Mansa is one of the “six famous tea mountains,” and is considered part of the Yiwu tea growing region.

The tea leaves themselves are plump and juicy and consist primarily of in tact, new growth leaf/bud complexes. The brewed liquor is honey gold, and the aroma is that of an obviously young tea with some complex young vegetal attributes. It has a rich & satisfying mouthfeel with a surprisingly long lasting sweet aftertaste that I am very impressed with. This is an excellent tea that I am very proud to call my own.

It has been a treat organizing the finding & making of this tea, and I hope that our customers get as much enjoyment out of it as we do!

8 Tasting Notes

Talk about Archive-Divin’! I found this little gem last night – totally forgot I had it! THEN…I tried locating it on steepster and thought it was a different one I didn’t previously log…turns out I ‘searched’ for the wrong one…so…I found it this morning…drinking it now…then passing enough for a cup for LiberTEAs!

This doesn’t have an aroma – much. But the taste is really nice. I’m re-reviewing this because it’s been so long since I have had it and I think it was one of my first experiences with a pu-erh.

This is a REALLY nice pu-erh! It’s gentle but flavorful. The flavor isn’t earthy…so…incase you are one that LOVES strong earthy/muddy type pu-erhs this one isn’t really that type. Instead it’s juicy. Yes…naturally juicy! It’s mellower. It’s semi sweet this time around.

Looking back at my previous notes (from nearly 3 years ago) I noted it was vegetal. I’m not getting that at all this time around…perhaps I over infused my first attempt – way-back-when! Regardless this is darned-tasty this time around and I’m going to up my rating!!!

This has been a bit of a breakthrough tea for me. I first tried it as a sample and was put off by the bitterness. Then I tried it again as part of a tasting group and worked out a way to enjoy it: I prepare it like a green tea—lower water temps. The bitterness is still there around the edges but I slurp this one up, avoiding tasting right with the tip of my tongue, and get the wonderful sweet rich flavor in the back of my throat, a little smoky, a touch earthy, and go through infusion after infusion.

I bought a beeng of this one because I want to age it and follow the changes to see how the bitter flavors change with time. I am not working with selected temp & humidity conditions, nor did I buy multiple beengs—just playing with the idea of aging more than anything else.

I like to give this one a quick boiling water flash rinse, then let sit to hydrate with the water that clings to the chunk of cake, about 2-3 grams in my small gaiwan, infusing about 60-75 mL, while the water in the kettle cools to the desired 170-180 degrees. Then, a bunch of short infusions, 10" or less at first, up to 30+" by the time I’ve done a dozen or two.

I’ve even done this one as a bulk brewing for my thermos, to share with colleagues at work during the afternoon, and gotten a good response. The hard part will be keeping enough intact for some semi-meaningful aging, to watch the young sheng turn into mature puerh.

Preparation

It has been a very long time since I’ve had this tea! I decided to use up the entire sample packet today. I received this in a nice swap several year(s)? ago.

I noticed right away a nice smokey scent to this. I brewed this Western style in a 6oz pot. The leaves were dry, brown, and various texture and lengths. The liquid was a light golden honey color. The scent of the liquid was a little smokey and tobacco-like. It was savory and delicious with some mild astringency toward the end of the cup. There was a hint of sweetness to this as well. Good brew!